As I walked back home, the crisp air helped cool my anger. The rhythmic pace of my footsteps had calmed me, but I still wasn't ready to face my family. I needed more time to process everything.
When I stepped inside the house, it was quiet. The smell of breakfast still lingered in the air, but no one was around. I slipped off my shoes and quietly made my way upstairs, avoiding any interaction. Once in my room, I closed the door behind me and sat on the edge of my bed, feeling a mix of exhaustion and relief.
Just as I was about to lie down, my phone buzzed with an incoming FaceTime call. It was Leah. Seeing her name on the screen brought a small smile to my face. I swiped to answer, and her familiar face appeared, filling the screen.
"Hey, Maddie," Leah said, her voice warm and full of concern. "How are you holding up?"
I sighed, leaning back against my pillows. "Hey, Leah. I'm okay, I guess. Just trying to figure everything out."
She nodded, her expression understanding. "I can imagine. It must be really tough."
"It is," I admitted. "But the walk helped a little. I just needed to get out of the house for a bit."
"I get that," Leah said. "Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders."
We chatted for a while, catching up on everything that had been going on. It felt good to talk to her, to have someone who understood what I was going through. As the conversation flowed, I found myself relaxing more and more.
"I miss you," I blurted out, surprising myself with the intensity of my feelings. "I miss being in London, with the team, with you."
Leah's face softened, and she gave me a reassuring smile. "I miss you too, Maddie. It's not the same without you here. But we'll get through this. You just need to focus on getting better."
"I know," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "It's just hard being away from everything and everyone I care about."
There was a pause, a comfortable silence filled with unspoken thoughts. I decided to break it, feeling the need to address the tension that had been hanging between us since everything happened.
"Leah," I began cautiously, "I need to talk to you about something."
She looked at me intently, nodding for me to continue. "Go ahead, Maddie."
I took a deep breath, feeling my heart pound. "What are we, Leah? I mean... I have real feelings for you. This isn't just about what happened or the confusion with Emily. I really care about you."
Leah's eyes softened, and she smiled. "I care about you too, Maddie. More than I realized at first. I've been thinking about this a lot, and I want us to figure it out together."
Relief washed over me, and I smiled back at her. "I want that too. I don't want to hide my feelings anymore or be confused about what we mean to each other."
Leah nodded, her expression serious yet hopeful. "Me neither. I know it's complicated, but I'm willing to work through it if you are."
"Absolutely," I said, feeling a sense of clarity for the first time in weeks. "I want to be with you, Leah. I really do."
She smiled, and it was like a weight had been lifted off both our shoulders. "Then let's take it one step at a time. We'll figure this out together."
"Together," I echoed, feeling a warmth spread through me.
We talked for a while longer, making plans and sharing our hopes for the future. By the time we hung up, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and hope. Things were still complicated, but I knew I wasn't alone in this.
